The center, located in the extension of Unquera, is aligned to a road in the base of the mountain which characterizes and darkens the plot. We projected and elementary volume slightly elevated from the land, like a palafito. Its abstraction and scale facilitate its implantation as primary element in the heterogenous and little qualified urban fabric. Its distance against the ground level avoids the damages caused by the swellings of the Deva river.

The project is a renovation of and design of a new entry addition to an iconic mid-century Northwest Modernist church, designed by Steinhart/Theriault in 1962. The worn 50 year old structure required a new liturgical space for gatherings around a new full-immersion baptismal artist-designed font, as well as accessibility, structural and energy upgrades. Careful choices about stripping away the years of accumulated renovations that had marred the powerful space were required.

The Basilica of the Sagrada Família was the inspiration of a Catalan bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, founder of Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José (Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph). After a visit to the Vatican in 1872, Bocabella returned from Italy with the intention of building a church inspired by that at Loreto. The crypt of the church, funded by donations, was begun 19 March 1882, on the festival of St. Joseph, to the design of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, whose plan was for a Gothic revival church of a standard form. Antoni Gaudí began work on the project in 1883. On 18 March 1883 Villar retired from the project, and Gaudí assumed responsibility for its design, which he changed radically.

The Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, has just inaugurated the Cathedral of the Northern Lights situated in the Norwegian town of Alta approximately 500 km north of the Arctic Circle. Even before the inauguration, the 47-metre-high cathedral, designed by schmidt hammer lassen architects in cooperation with Link Arkitektur, was perceived as a symbol and an architectural landmark for the entire area.

A unique client’s vision and openness to abstract symbolism provided EOP Architects the opportunity to transform a long vacant and neglected retail mall into an energized campus with a newfound purpose. Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, requested a contemporary, iconic design that would be welcoming, inspirational and transformational but devoid of any traditional references to Christianity: there are no conventional steeples, crosses, or stained glass windows. However, the design response includes a number of abstract interpretations with references to these elements.

Concepts of sustainable design are often given media attention though startling innovations and avant-garde design. However, it is those projects that at first not recognized, but though the ’test of time’ prove themselves to be innovative and appealing to work and visit are worthy of discussion.

The St Alfred’s Church complex is one such project. Located in the leafy Melbourne suburb of North Blackburn the building is a composite of tested ideas combined about welcoming planning and design. This church and educational building is an expansion of an earlier small building that had occupied the site for the past forty-five years.

A protestant church community in a 1960’s neighbourhood of Amersfoort decided, because of decreasing numbers of parishioners, to fuse with another church community. To make a new start the church government decided to sell one of the church buildings and give the other church building a radical transformation.

This building proposed by AGi architects means the completion of the Parish Center and its empowerment as focus of community activity for the neighborhood. The project aims at strengthening the Parish Center as a meeting and fraternization place, in order to develop spiritual and welfare tasks. It has been designed by economical savings and sustainability premises, simple construction techniques and materials, while endowing the district with an image and sign of identity.

Reflections on the Past and the Present in the Courtyard of Averbode Abbey

In the summer of 2012 the recently rejuvenated courtyard of Averbode Abbey has opened its doors inviting everyone to enjoy its centuries-old architecture and Baroque church standing at its heart. These impressive buildings are literally reflected in the grand water mirror calmly sitting at the centre of the square. The large film of water, which is only a few centimetres deep, not only provides an alternative view of the surrounding buildings, but also welcomes the visitor to rest beside it on a nearby bench and enjoy its tranquil character or even walk in it during those rare hot Belgian days. Averbode Abbey’s historical role is thus recreated in its own courtyard by bringing together people of all ages from around the region.